Question

Do master balls ever fail?

Comments

If it's a trainer's pokemon.

Answer 1

Let's make this more clear, shall we? Let's use my good old friend called math.

It's different for generation. I will do these calculations based on a Mewtwo with 100% health and no status ailments, with a Master Ball, whose rate is 255x.

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Generation 1's Master Ball is automatically caught. There are no formulas using for a ball catch rate if a Master Ball is used. It bypasses the formula.

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Generation 2 uses this formula:

>a = (3 × HPmax - 2 × HPcurrent) × (rate × bonusball) / (3 × HPmax) + bonusstatus

Now, let's plug in:

a = (3 x 416 - 2 x 416) x (3 x 255) / (3 x 416) + 0

Since 3 x 416 and 2 x 416 are both greater than 225, the value must be quartered. How perfect is it that 416 / 4 is a whole number :3

a = (3 x 104 - 2 x 104) x (3 x 255) / (3 x 104)
a = (312 - 208) * 765 / 312
a = 79560 / 312
a = 255

Since a is 255, the Pokemon is caught. No exceptions.

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Generation 3 and 4 use this formula:

Let's do some mathz.

a = [(3 x 416 - 2 x 416) x 3 x 255 / (3 x 416)] x 1
a = [(1248 - 832) x 3 x 255 / (3 x 416)] x 1
a = [416 x 3 x 255 / 1248] x 1
a = [280800 /1248] x 1
a = 255 x 1
a = 255

Master Ball still catches.

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Generation 5 follows the same formula as 3 and 4, but the bonusstatus is higher than Gen 3 and 4 for sleep and freeze. Even if you factored those in, the catch rate will be higher than 255, which warrants a catch.

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Formula sources
Catch rate source for Master Ball
Mewtwo's catch rate

Comments

*whistles* All that math deserves an upvote MewMew

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Argh! Maths! My brain hurts! Good job anyway, Mew.

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holy crap!

Answer 2

Let's get this straight, OK? Master Balls never fail, unless used on a trainer's Pokemon.
The chance of failing thing is not true. It's about as true as a Creepypasta. No reputable source has ever said a Master Ball can fail.

Comments

I believe there is truth in it failing back in Gen I. I know that a lot of the probabilities were off in that game. Not sure though, I might be mixing that up with 100% accurate moves having a chance to miss.

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Hmm. Dunno what to make of that.

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What trachy said. but I am sorry. My upvote has to go to Blazingsensei156

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I don't understand what he said about the Catch Rate. Why does a low catch rate matter?

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Just because you don't understand doesn't mean it does not make sense.

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I didn't say that it didn't make sense..

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whats Creepypasta?

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Creepypasta is where people make baseless speculations or horror esque materials about video games, exploit a glitch or two, and try to make games "scary" when they really aren't. It's mostly a bunch of crap.

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Actually the Masterball was able to fail, but only in Gen 1. You had a 1/65536 chance of it failing. It was fixed in Gen 2.

Answer 3

They better not fail! >.< Just kidding! But, no. They never fail unless you try to get a trainers Pokemon ( if you use action replay it will let you catch trainer's Pokemon so then it won't fail) so don't worry! I hope I helped! :D

Comments

I answered with the same thing 40 minutes ago.

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oh sorry

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it's ok.

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:3 lawl

Answer 4

The master ball bypasses any and all formulas for catch rate, so any chance of it failing from the formula is automatically null for the Gen I games. Everything else gives the master ball a catch rate of 255, the maximum they can possibly program, so it would be an automatic catch regardless of any other factors.

The catch rate formula is what determines the probability of any Pokemon being calculated. The actual formula varies by generation, so i'll let you check my source if you're interested.

The master ball is special in that the game runs a check specifically for master balls before even running the formula. if it is a master ball, then the catch will automatically work. no question. If it's any other ball besides special ones (like the migration balls in Heart Gold, I don't remember what they're called), then the formula will run like normal and give your Pokemon some chance of being caught.

The only time a master ball can fail is if used on a trainer's Pokemon or the Ghost in the Kanto games, but a special check is also ran on if the Pokemon is wild or not, so it's not a product of the master ball.

of course, there is this little thing... but going in just the games, it doesn't fail.

Obligatory math shot of catch rate for everything else. Even if the master ball was put in the formula, it has no random values to generate for the formula, so the game would probably crash or something.:

Comments

Park Balls btw.

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Thanks. also, Dream balls were the other one that fall under the guaranteed catch.